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Busta Rhymes The Coming Elektra Offbeat rapping doesn't begin and end with Ol' Dirty Bastard; Busta's been doing it for years with the brilliant, yet underappreciated, Leaders of the New School. Like Grand Puba or Aceyalone, Busta Rhymes' verbal flow was too chaotic to contain within one group, so he went solo. On The Coming, Busta coughs out lump after lump of jumpy, rust-coated rap tracks. Over a syncopated, dubbed-out beat, Busta runs through unpredictable vocal terrain on the unrelenting "Abandon Ship" and the summer hit of spring, "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check." Nobody simply calls in his cameo on "Flipmode Squad Meets Def Squad," one of the best posse cuts ever, with Redman, Keith Murray, Rampage and Jamal all represented. Busta reunites with his New School crew on "Keep It Movin' " and trades rhymes with Q-Tip on "Ill Vibe." With careening beats that keep you off balance, The Coming is a wild trip. (Todd S. Inoue) Korea Girl Korea Girl Self-released I'm very excited about this four-piece out of San Jose that plays moody, exquisite, melodic jangle pop with girl-and-boy vocals that recall a bunch of my favorite bands--Seam, Lois, Big Country, the Spinanes--all in one. "Li'l Bunch" and "Upside Down" are infused with one of Seam's better techniques: the slow buildup tailed by an exhalation of power. "Prozac" and "Peon" feature Elizabeth Yi's quiet vocal presence to good effect. This auspicious debut is as self-assured as a stack of Lois B-sides and sure to please fuzzy pop nrrrds everywhere. Do something about the name, though; it might attract raincoaters at upcoming shows. Contact: 408/298-7928 or [email protected]. (TSI) O'Landa Draper & the Associates Gotta Feelin' Warner Alliance The double doors of the church open on a 60-voice choir during the opening number, "Bless the Lord, O My Soul," and O'Landa Draper & the Associates--with some help from a packed house--raise the roof with praises on the live gospel album Gotta Feelin'. The title track brings a message of hope as saxophonist Donald Hayes surrounds the R&B flow with hip-hop breakdowns in saxy improvisational funk. Fans flyin', tambourines slappin' and toes tappin' trail the fast Southern pace of "My Joy Cometh." Throughout, the album is marked by Minister Draper's powerful vocal choreography. In "Gonna Sing Your Music," all the parts of the Grammy-nominated choir--baritones, altos and sopranos--take solo turns, then blend to ask the Lord to "use me." "Why Not Come to Christ?" ends the sonic sermon, inviting everyone to come to the feast of eternal life. (Sheila Dawkins) [ Metro | Metroactive Central | Archives ]